Faithless
by marysverse
Summary: Chloe has disappeared and everyone is hurting too much to realize why she's gone.


A/N: Why does everyone think Chloe betrayed Clark by running off with Davis? Did I imagine the whole terrified for her and her friends' life vibe that I got when she decided to try to keep Davis from ripping apart more bodies? I don't own anything but my own words.

The Daily Planet

"Who is Davis?"

A surprised Clark looked up to see her standing over him, aggression apparent in every line of her body.

"You know Davis, Chloe's told you about him."

"Clark, if there was ever a time to be honest with me, it's now. Who is Davis, and how dangerous is he?"

He shifted his eyes away from her, another lie ready to spill from his lips like second nature. But, she had a right to know didn't she. She should know that her cousin was in far over her head. Especially since she was so unwilling to listen to him, to let him save her. Maybe she could somehow contact Chloe and talk reason into her.

"You know the killer that has been brutalizing Metropolis. Davis, there is something wrong with him and he turns into the monster."

"And why hasn't he been put down?"

"He seems to be indestructible and far stronger than anyone I know."

"So why did you let _my_ cousin go off with him."

"I think you know that I didn't _let_ her do anything of the sort."

She stared him down hard, weighing his words. Deciding against thrashing the innocent twit, she whirled away from his desk, a new mission foremost in her mind.

Oliver's Penthouse

Oliver answered the door to the sound of someone trying to pound it off its hinges.

"Lois? To what do I owe this surprise?" He gestured her to come in a few seconds after she was already barging her way through.

"Oliver I've never really asked anything of you. But I need to ask a favor now." It killed her to have to come to him, but she wasn't leaving the chance of finding Chloe to her own clumsy attempts.

"What can I help you with?" He was intrigued as to what could make Lois Lane come to him for help.

"I need you to help me find Chloe."

His face immediately became shuttered. A cold glint in his eye was his only response as he made his way to his mini-bar for a much needed refreshment.

"Chloe's a big girl Lois, she's made her decision."

"You know she's gone."

"Yes, I do."

"And yet, you're doing nothing?"

"It was her choice." He swallowed the amber contents of the tumbler in one swoop, telling himself that she chose the side of the enemy.

She was shocked, a man that Chloe spoke so reverently about. A man that, according to Chloe, really was fighting against injustice, someone she once called a real hero. That man was standing in his over priced apartment getting drunk. She pulled a precious piece of paper from her purse.

"Lois, I'm sorry to spring this one you. I have to leave. I'm leaving with Davis. And if you've ever listened to me, listen to this. Don't try to find me. Please, I beg you. This is for the best. There's something bad going on, and me leaving will temporarily fix the problem. And I'll come back if the problem is fixed or when…it can be fixed. When people are ready to fix it. I know you don't understand most of this. But I just want you to know, this was my choice. This will keep everyone I love safe, for awhile at least. I'll miss you terribly. Love, Chloe." He caught on that it was a letter from Chloe a few sentences in, blame it on his whiskey addled brain. He let out a snort of laughter at the end.

"Yes Lois, she certainly is keeping the one that she loves safe."

"You think she's doing this for Davis."

"You know they have feelings for each other."

"Oliver, you are an absolute moron!" She balled the letter into her tight fist, angry at the stupid blonde that she thought would help.

She looked down at the letter, smoothed its crumpled edges. It was her last connection to Chloe.

"You know what's missing in this letter?" Her voice strained for control. He didn't answer.

"There's no 'I love him,' there's no 'I want,' there's no assurance to me of her happiness. The things she didn't say tells me a lot more than what she did say."

"I thought she was your friend, I had the impression you guys were pretty damn close. But you're too stupid to even realize that she's sacrificing herself."

"I know all about Davis. And she's gone off with that monster. Not because she's delusional into thinking she can keep the killer at bay and live happily ever after with him. Did you hear her words? She came up with a temporary fix, she knows its temporary. And she knows she's not coming back." Her voice broke over the last word, tears falling freely down her face.

"She did this for me, for you, for Clark, for the entire fucking world. And you won't help me save her?" Her breath caught as she tried to take a breath. She might be hyper ventilating. It took her several minutes to get her world back into control. Straightening her slumped form, uncurling her fingers and taking deep breaths, she approached Oliver.

She put her face right next to his, not bothering to wipe away the unbidden tears, ignoring how they splashed against his suit lapels.

"I hope she never knows. I hope she never finds out that the person she considered to be her friend, turned his back on her. How many times has she saved you? How many times has she helped you? When has she ever asked or demanded anything from you? But you can't be bothered to help her when her own stupid sense of right and wrong is leading her to her own death." She pulled away from him and headed to the door.

"I was wrong, I don't know why I thought…I was wrong, I'm going to help you. I'll find her." His voice rang out hoarsely through his dark home.

"No, you won't. Apparently, I can trust a perfect stranger over you to care enough to do this right." Her voice rebounded back to him over her shoulder, hollowly, with no emotion. And then she was gone. Leaving a crumpled man to relive his last moments with Chloe, to remember all his harsh words. To remember all the things he didn't say, and should have.


End file.
